Background
Laura Wilcox, a 19-year old sophomore from Haverford College, was working at Nevada County's public mental health clinic during her winter break from college. On January 10, 2001, she and two other people were shot to death by Scott Harlan Thorpe, a 41-year old American citizen who resisted his family's attempt to force psychiatric treatment. Thorpe was found incompetent to stand trial and was sent to Atascadero State Hospital and was later transferred to California's Napa State Hospital. After the incident Laura’s parents chose to advocate for forced treatment of individuals considered to have mental illness. Scott Harlan Thorpe tried on several occasions to get help from Nevada County Mental Health by going in-person and pleading with the staff to get psychiatric treatment. He was denied treatment on all occasions and told there was nothing the County could do, which was a severe contributing factor to the shooting.
Read more about this topic: Laura's Law
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